


Different Perspective

by MayLovelies



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin sees things from a different pov, Angst, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-27
Updated: 2017-09-27
Packaged: 2019-01-06 05:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12204996
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayLovelies/pseuds/MayLovelies
Summary: After a particularly bloody battle, Anakin finds himself visiting his men in the medical ward. In the process he meets an injured clone who, after Anakin asks, decides to give his General his perspective on the current war.





	Different Perspective

**Author's Note:**

> For finish-the-clone-wars' writing Wednesday! I really like this prompt, I've been thinking about it for a while!

Things in the medical ward had calmed down since the battle had ended.

A couple of days had passed since then, and now Anakin found himself walking down the corridors of the infirmary, checking the status of the men who had survived the operation. This battle had been increasingly bloodier than most and many clones had lost their lives. However, due to Anakin’s reckless yet successful strategy, the objective had been reached and it was another win for the Republic.

Anakin continued down the corridor, watching a few of the men sleep, others were walking around and greeted him when they passed. R2 was humming next to him, beeping curiously every so often simply wanting to know what Anakin was doing there. He rarely if ever visited the infirmary.

“The last battle was brutal R2.” He commented. “Just wanted to see how my men were doing, and if any are battle ready. We’re moving out soon and need everyone who can fight.”

R2 Beeped again.

“Yeah, I know we lost a lot last night. But the ones who are alive and able might be up to fight and…” He paused drifting off remembering that he too had gotten injured in the crossfire of the battle. He hadn’t even been paying attention when a bomb had landed next to him. If it weren’t for the trooper who was behind him at that moment, forcefully pushing him out of the way, Anakin would have been dead.

“I have to thank someone…or at least, see if he’s alive and that’s it.”

R2 made another beep of annoyance causing Anakin to roll his eyes. “No I didn’t get name or see his face—yes R2 I know they all look alike. Whatever, first and foremost we’re here to check on the status of my men. Like I said, we move out tomorrow.”

The two continued down the hallway to a quieter area of the infirmary; Anakin assumed these were some of the most injured clones. From what he saw when he peered into the rooms, many were asleep none moving. Anakin felt a twinge of sadness fill his heart, wondering if many of these men were actually alive. He felt energy in the room but it was very low, like a dim flame that could vanish at any second.   
This distressed Anakin; he had usually been good about not letting the deaths of his men get to him, after all, he could cut off attachments when they weren’t anyone close to him. Yet it was something about being in this quiet, dark ward that grieved him. These actual men, men who had run head first into the battle field on his orders, could possibly never wake up.

It was R2’s buzzing that intruded his thoughts. “What is it buddy?” He asked, grateful that R2 had disturbed him. The noisy droid motioned toward another room, not to far from where the two of them were. Unlike the other rooms, there was a light shining from this one. Not bright in the slightest but Anakin was drawn toward it. He only hoped that whoever was in that room was in better condition than these clones he’d just seen.

Much to Anakin’s happiness, when he and R2 found themselves peering to the room, there was in fact an occupant sitting up in the bed. There was no lamp or light in the room, however the window was open which was what clone happened to be staring out of. For a few silent moments Anakin simply stared, relieved that at least  _one_ of the men in this lifeless ward seemed to be alive.

It was R2 who drew the clone from his quiet solitude, earning a glare from Anakin. “General Skywalker.” The clone greeted, taken back by his unexpected visitors. “Is there something you need?”

“Oh no! Sorry if R2 and I disturbed you we were just passing by.” Anakin shrugged. “You can go back to…”

“Wasn’t really doing much.” The clone retorted as he shrugged. “I was reading a bit earlier, now I’m kind of bored.”

“Reading?” Anakin responded, finding himself walking over the threshold without asking. It was R2 who sounded, prompting Anakin to ask for permission. “Oh, I’m sorry…is it alright if I come in?”

“Sure.” The clone smiled and watched as the general and his droid entered. Anakin was quick to catch a thick book sitting on the table next to him. He observed it for a while, attempting to see if it was an older manual , or perhaps some old stored mission reports that hadn’t been uploaded to a data pad yet. However, it seemed to be none of those; just a simple , old and boring chapter book.

“Seems kind of thick…” Anakin motioned toward the book. “Does it have to do with the War or the Republic?”

“No.” The clone leaned over to get the book, though Anakin noted that he was in slight pain so he got it for him. Smiling, the clone took the book and held it in his own hands, observing the cover. “It’s actually about different cultures exclusive to other planets and systems…some of these places I’d like to visit one day.” He paused for a while, quickly shaking his head. “I mean…no, no this boos doesn’t really have to do with the war or the Republic. Honestly sir, those are things I’d rather not think of during my free time…the little I have that is.”

Anakin, who had by now positioned himself at the end of the clone’s bed. “It sounds interesting but…”He gazed at the clone, noting he was still looking down at the book. “you said you don’t like thinking about the war? Well do you think of the war…I mean from a clone’s perspective that is?” Anakin got a glance of R2 who seemed just as taken back with the question as the clone. In all honesty, Anakin didn’t know why he asked it. Those clones close to him, like Rex, Fives, Hardcase and the whole torrent company seemed to quite enjoy the war and the fighting that came with it. But he had never heard a clone who thought…differently.

“Sir…I don’t…I don’t understand.”

“What’s your opinion on the war trooper. I’m curious.” Anakin stated.

The clone placed the book next to him and gazed back at Anakin. His eyes were full of shock but weariness at first; almost as if he did not trust his general. Anakin saw him lower his eyes as he fell deep in thought, thinking of the right words to say. It was then Anakin spoke in a comforting tone.  “You can tell me anything, it’s alright.” It had then occurred to Anakin that this simply wasn’t a matter of curiosity, perhaps other clones thought differently as well but were too afraid to share their perspective. Perhaps they were taught not to.

“It’s just that…” The clone started,  hiding his deep breath behind a sigh. “I think the war is pointless.”

It took Anakin a bit of control not to retort with his own opinion. “Is that so?” He asked, a bit more direct than he pleased. “Can you tell me why?”

“I mean, you saw the ward didn’t you? A lot of the others…they’re dying out there for nothing, we’re dying and no one really cares. If we die there can just be more of us made but I always thought of that as wrong.” He actually looked Anakin in the eyes, his own eyes stern but sad. Silently, Anakin bid him to continue, not daring to intervene. “Everyone fights I know, but we’re the ones mostly doing the fighting and for what? What do we get in the end, even now, I’ll be patched up and then sent to fight again like nothing ever happened. To make matters worse I’m supposed to be happy about it, but how can I be?” He sighed once again, closing his eyes and leaning back against the wall. He was silent for a while, giving Anakin a chance to gather his own thoughts and then speak.

“I’m sorry I…I never looked at it that way. Every clone I’ve met has been happy to fight in the war.”

“It’s not your fault…that’s what I expect. It’s what we’re taught to believe, that this is all we have, this is all we are. But…some of us want so much more.” He opened his eyes and looked upward, not really at Anakin or anything else. Just as if he was staring at something that wasn’t in the room, something in his mind. “I just wanted more. If I could choose anything for myself, it would be to just be a normal man. I wouldn’t worry or care about the war, I wouldn’t worry about being killed and forgotten like a number. I could go anywhere I wanted…”

He looked at Anakin, a look of shock in his eyes to see a sympathetic gaze from his general. He of course, continued. “What makes it worse is that we don’t have a say in  _anything._ Nothing that happens to us we get to choose. Stuck up Senators choose that I guess…and because of that, we’re hated. Senators, the Republic…everyone sees us as an economic crisis, money wasted and spent. I can’t count how many times I’ve heard Senator Amidala or her supporters talk about ending cloning production, like we’re some animals.” He chuckled. “What do I expect…she doesn’t understand, none of them do…we’re here fighting  _their_ war, and they don’t care. We’re just a hinderance to them. That’s all. That’s why this is all so pointless, every bit of it. Who wins in the end? Certainly not us.”  

There was silence that passed and this time it was Anakin who looked away. Usually, when it came to someone insulting Senators—especially Padme, Anakin would be quick to jump to their defense. But this time, he couldn’t say a word. This clone, he was right. Everything he said made sense. Anakin was only angry that he didn’t see this before; that he didn’t see how corrupted this whole system was and for the first time, he actually felt anger toward the Senators  _for_ his men. The Senators , who like this clone had said, decided what happened on the battlefield  to the actual soldiers, while rarely if ever stepping into the crossfire themselves.

Anakin was foolish for believing every clone thought like Rex, or the others of the torrent company. It only saddened him to know how many  _didn’t_ think like Rex, to know how many shared the same perspective of this clone. Were there more in the 501st? Were some of those clones the ones sleeping in the infirmary?

“Sorry if I bored you sir,” The clone broke into Anakin’s thoughts. “Or angered you—”

“No…no you didn’t.” Anakin shook his head, smiling at the clone. “I’m glad you told me, I am…I just wish I could…”  _I wish there was more I could do._ He wanted to say, but only feared what doors would open if he did. “Is that why you read that book?” Anakin quickly recovered, mentally cursing for not being brave enough.  “You said that you wanted to visit some of the places in that book?” Anakin pressed on. “If you weren’t a clone I’m guessing.”

“Yeah.” He admitted, somberly. “It’s impossible for me to go, but I love reading about them.” He shrugged. “I don’t ponder on it that much.”

“What would you do, if you weren’t a clone?” Anakin asked. “Where would you live?”

The clone chuckled. “I’d love to teach history…and I’d live far away from here. Someplace where the war was just a myth. It’s silly, I know.”

“No, That sounds nice.” Anakin smiled, gazing at the clone as he slowly looked back toward the window.

“You seem better, General.” The clone spoke silently. “After the explosion…I’m glad I pushed you away in time—“

“That was you!” Anakin’s heart warmed up as he could barely contain himself. “I came here to thank you!” He calmed down a bit, his face warming at his sudden burst of energy. “So um…so thank you.”  

“You’re welcome, General.” The clone smiled, not peeling his gaze from the window. Anakin continued to stare at him, feeling more at peace in this moment than he had in any other moment during the war. Something about talking to this clone seemed relieving. He liked it.

“What’s your name, by the way?”

“Ross.” The clone looked at Anakin, a smile curved on his lips.

“That’s a nice name.” Anakin responded, watching as Ross went back to staring out of the window.

“Well Ross, I should get going now.” R2, making his presence known, made a series of upset beeps. Like Anakin, he was listening in depth and he too found peace in this quiet room, but they both had work to do.

“Take care General, thank you for visiting.”  _It’s Anakin…_ Anakin wanted to say but could not begin to fathom how odd that would be.

“Thanks for opening up to me…none of my men have ever done that. I don’t think they believed they had a chance so, thank you. Maybe I can be better about listening to all perspectives from now on. And oh…” As he got up and beckoned R2 his way, he braced himself for what he said next. “After the war, after everything is done…I can…I will take you to some of the places you want to go to. Maybe all of them who knows? Just start preparing! I’m pretty sure we can find some neat places…”

R2 did not stop beeping and it took Anakin every will of self-restraint not to whack him. But Ross smiled, a genuine heartfelt smile that Anakin doubted anyone had seen during the duration of the war.

“That would be nice General Skywalker…thank you.”  

“You’re welcome.” Anakin smiled back. “And we’re moving out tomorrow but you can stay here for this campaign. Would it be alright if I came back to check on you before I left?”

Ross simply smiled. “Yes General, that would be fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! If you like it please do not hesitate to lave a comment! I would appreciate that very much!


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